Family refuses to buy back stolen bike

Friday

Jul 20, 2012 at 5:38 AMJul 23, 2012 at 5:56 AM

BRYAN KAWASAKI, Special to the Daily Press

HESPERIA • Mark Martin used to ride his bicycle to school each day — until it was stolen.

Two months after filing a police report, the 15-year-old happened to notice his bike in the window of Jewelry Plus Pawn Shop as he walked by Saturday afternoon. After inspecting the markings he had made of his favorite number with a Sharpie, Martin confronted the shop owner, who told him to return with a police report.

But when Martin's foster mom, Tracy Rodriguez, arrived with the report, she said the shop owner wanted $100 before he would hand over the bike.

A store employee, who wouldn't give his name, said store policy does not require them to give back the bike free of charge, regardless of the item's legal status. While they eventually offered to sell the bike to Rodriguez for $50, the store was not willing to take a complete loss in sales.

"I was furious," Rodriguez said, so she called the local San Bernardino County Sheriff's station.

When the pawn shop was approached by authorities, they released the name and information on file of who had sold them the bike.

"It's not our fault it was stolen, so the only thing you can give is the name and information of the seller," the male employee said.

Since the pawn shop didn't know the bike was stolen when they received it, sheriff's deputies told Rodriguez that her only course of action is to press charges against the thief, which she said she plans to do.

While Rodriguez also plans to buy Martin a new bike, she said she refuses to pay any money to the pawn shop on moral grounds.

"Why should I have to pay for something that's mine?" Rodriguez asked. "Obviously this is just a bike. But I can't imagine if it were jewelry or something more valuable, having to pay for all your own stuff."

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